Read Ursula Villarreal-Moura’s book, Like Happiness
Ursula Villarreal-Moura, author of Like Happiness, will join three other local authors—Anna Lapera, Letisha Marrero, and Diana Rojas—for People’s Book’s Latine Representation in Literature on Oct. 13. Credit: Levi Travieso

All book lovers know the sweet bliss that accompanies the first days of fall. Gone are the days of FOMO; it’s time to cancel plans, stay in, and read guilt-free. Say goodbye to the beach reads and hello to eerie campus novels and classic gothics. Luckily, local bookstores are following suit with a swath of events for lovers of all things psychologically thrilling and spine-chilling. Of course, we threw in a couple literary events that are spook-free too. 

Literary Hill BookFest at Eastern Market on Oct. 6

Frances Park; courtesy of the author

Spend a crisp fall day immersed in the local literary scene at the 13th annual Literary Hill BookFest in Capitol Hill. The free festival features author talks, book signings, and family-friendly activities. Hear from local authors including Frances Park, Shannon Sanders, and Louis Bayard, author of The Pale Blue Eye and The Wildes. If you’re feeling inspired after such a bookish day, try your hand at the open mic at Tunnicliff’s Tavern to close out the festivities. The event starts at 11 a.m. at Eastern Market, 225 7th St. SE. Free. 

Latine Representation in Literature at People’s Book on Oct. 13 

Close out Hispanic Heritage Month with a discussion on representation with four local authors: middle-grade novelists Anna Lapera and Letisha Marrero, and fiction authors Diana Rojas and Ursula Villarreal-Moura. (Our arts editor liked Villarreal-Moura’s debut novel so much, she recommended it for City Paper‘s Spring Arts Guide.) The event starts at 2 p.m. at People’s Book, 7014-A Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park. Free. 

Kate Stayman-London, Fang Fiction at East City Bookshop on Oct. 15

The trifecta: vampire romance, wine, and reproductive justice. L.A.-based author Kate Stayman-London is coming to town to discuss her latest romantasy, Fang Fiction. When Tess discovers the sexy villain from her favorite vampire novel is real and trapped in our world, she embarks on a quest to save him. Stayman-London will discuss her book (which sounds like every fan fiction reader’s dream) between sips of wine while raising money for the DC Abortion Fund. The event starts at 7 p.m. at East City Bookshop, 654 Pennsylvania Ave. SE and streaming on Zoom. Free.

A Conversation with Gerardo Sámano Córdova at as you are on Oct. 23 

Gerardo Sámano Córdova’s genre-bending debut novel, Monstrilio, tells the story of a grieving mother who cuts out and nurtures a piece of her deceased son’s lung until it transforms into a creature that resembles him. Part literary horror, part meditation on grief, Monstrilio was named a 2023 Book of the Year by NPR, Elle, Goodreads, and others. The Los Angeles Times likened Sámano Córdova to authors such as Carmen Maria Machado and Maríana Enriquez, “who wring fresh interpretations out of horror’s insights into otherness, expanding the genre to include BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters as well as their culture and background.” He’ll be at as you are—courtesy of Little District Books—for a moderated discussion and Q&A. The event starts at 7 p.m. at as you are, 500 8th St. SE. Free. 

Small Press Book Club at Lost City Books on Oct. 24

Daphne du Maurier stans, rise! This month’s Small Press Book Club will meet to discuss Don’t Look Now, a collection of horror stories from the reigning queen of quietly chilling 20th-century gothic novels, the author of Rebeccca, Jamaica Inn, and (my personal favorite) My Cousin Rachel. The selection includes “The Birds,” famously adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, alongside other psychologically thrilling surprises. The event starts at 7 p.m. at Lost City Books, 2468 18th St. NW. Free. 

Unrelated to the event, but perfect for du Maurier fans, I also recommend Ghosts, a collection of clever, realistic ghost stories by Edith Wharton. 

Witchcraft: Fact & Fiction at People’s Book on Oct. 26

This panel brings together three local authors—Wiccan writer Thorn Mooney, speculative fiction writer and multimedia artist Salinee Goldenberg, and poet Rita Feinstein—for a discussion about the truth and fantasy of witches and witchcraft. The event starts at 6 p.m. at People’s Book, 7014-A Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park. Free.